Drapery pleating and folding apparatus



. p 14, 1970 J. H. HALIES 3,506,169

DRAPERY PLEATING AND FOLDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet J.

A ril 14, 1970 I J. H. HALE 3,506,169

DRAPERY PLEATING AND FOLDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4 1967 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 April 14, 1970 J. H. HALES r 3,506,159 I DRAPERY PLEATI'NG AND FOLDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 196? I 5 Sheets-Sheet s 1Q 4o 2 3e 39 9; 32 as 35 April 14, 1970 J. H. HALES 3,506,169

4 DRAPERY PLEATING AND FOLDING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1967 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

April 14, 1970 J. H. HALES DRAPERY PLEATING AND FOLDING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 4, 1967 United States Patent 3,506,169 DRAPERY PLEATING AND FOLDING APPARATUS John H. Hales, 255 E. Monterey, Corona, Calif. 91720 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 630,327, Apr. 12, 1967. This application Aug. 4, 1967, Ser.

Int. Cl. D06j 1/12 U.S. Cl. 223-32 19 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 630,327, filed Apr. 12, 1967, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to novel apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies and positioning them for folding and finishing and more particularly relates to such apparatus employing a pair of spaced-apart upright posts or channels with a horizontal hanger bar for engaging the upper end of said draperies, extending between said channels and a horizontal pleater bar assembly extending between said channels below said hanger bar for clamping the lower end of the draperies so that they can be stretched in a pleated condition by elevating the hanger 'bar.

Apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies between a pair of drapery engaging members vertically movable relative to each other between a pair of upright channels, has been previously proposed. Such apparatus, however, has been found unsatisfactory from several aspects, such as in the means for locking the lower member or pleater bar in gripping engagement with the lower end of the drapery, in the means for releasably attaching the upper end of the drapery to the hanger bar, in the means for vertically manipulating the hanger bar, and in the means of moving the pleater bar assembly vertically along the channels. Drapery pleating and stretching apparatus as proposed heretofore, has also been relatively complex and costly. Apparatus of the type under consideration is used for pleating draperies initially in preparing them for folding and may also be used after the draperies have been cleaned, to stretch and repleat the draperies and position them in a convenient position for banding in the pleated condition.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to .provide an improved drapery pleating and stretching apparatus having a pleater bar assembly for clamping the lower end of said draperies in a pleated configuration so that said draperies may be stretched by elevating the upper portion of said draperies.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means for releasably locking a pleater bar assembly at selected vertical positions along the upright channels supporting said assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel hanger bar design with means for easy attachment and release of said draperies therefrom.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved pleater bar blade configuration over which "ice the drapery material may be guided without catching on the tip of said blade.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel means for adjusting the vertical position of said hanger bar with a novel winch lock which is operable by a foot pedal linkage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suitable counterweight suspension for a vertically movable pleater bar assembly mounted between a pair of upright channels to permit easy movement of said pleater bar assembly to various vertical positions along said channels.

Other objects and a more complete understanding of our present invention may be had by reference to the following specification and the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device with certain portions cut away to reveal the internal construction more clearly, one operative position of one of the pleater bars being shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cut-away plan view;

FIG. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on line 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation of the upper end of the pleating and stretching apparatus showing a drapery connected to the hanger bar employed in the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the hanger bar showing novel drapery hooks slideably attached to a hanger bar;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10 showing in cross section, the drapery hook mounting means;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 11 showing further detail of the hook mounting means;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged plan view of a pair of pleater bar blades of the preferred configuration;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a modified hanger bar lifting and locking mechanism with linkage to a foot pedal;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view partially in section of the winch locking mechanism in locked position; and

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view partially in section, of the winch locked mechanism in unlocked position; and

FIG. 18 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 17.

Briefly described, our present invention provides a horizontal hanger bar 86 and a horizontal pleater bar assembly which are vertically movable along vertical, spaced-apart members on channels 11 and 12. Drapery 162 may be pleated and stretched by hanging the upper end to the hanger bar, clamping the pleater bar assembly 160 on lower end of the drapery with the pleater bar asassembly locked against vertical movement along the channels 11 and 12, and elevating the hanger bar 86 by operating the winch 24.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, a pair of upright channels 11 and 12 with their open sides facing each other, are supported on pedestals 13 and 14 respectively. The upper ends of these channels are tied together by a horizontal tie bar 81. As shown in FIG. 2, the left upright channel 11 is braced in its veritical position by a diagonally extending front brace 15 and a similar diagonally extending rear brace 16. The right upright channel 12 is similarly braced in its Vertically position by a front brace 15a and a rear brace, not shown.

In the pleater bar assembly shown in FIG. 3, a first or back pleater bar 19 is mounted for limited lateral movement on a rectangular bar 47 Whose opposite ends are respectively attached to the vertical plates 59 and 59a which slidably engage channels 11 and 12 respectively. The pleater bar 19 has a plurality of laterally extending, equally spaced, pleater blades 22 disposed at right angles thereto. A second pleater bar 18 also carries a plurality of pleater blades 21 having the same spacing as the pleater blade 22. These two pleater bars 18 and 19 have a generally comb-like configuration. In the operative position of the pleater bar 18 shown in full lines in FIG. 5, these blades 21 extend toward pleater bar 19, the pleater blades 21 of pleater bar 18 interdigitating with the pleater blades 22 of pleater bar 19.

Pleater bar 18 is carried upon a rectangular cross-bar 85 whose opposite ends are respectively attached to the arms 76 and 76a. The opposite ends of these arms are respectively pivoted on members 62 and 62a which extend vertically upward from the sideplates 59 and 59a respectively. The comb-like pleater bar 18 is thus movable in a large are from the operative position shown in full lines in FIG. 3 to the parked position shown in broken lines above the mating pleating bar 19. The pivoted pleating bar 18 may be detented or hooked in its raised or inoperative position in any appropriate manner. The pleater bar 18 may be arranged for movement into the integrated position with pleater bar 19 by means other than the pivot means shown in FIG. 3, as, for example, by horizontally movable means or by detachable means.

The pleater bar assembly, including both of the mating pleater bars 18 and 19 may be raised and lowered as a unit with the supporting sideplates 59 and 59a which are vertically movable up and down the channels 11 and 12.

As shown in FIGS. and 6, two pulleys 66 and 66a are rotatably carried in the U-shaped brackets 69 and 69a, respectively. These are attached to the sideplates 59 and 59a, respectively and traverse one edge of the side channel 11. Two other similarly grooved rollers 64a and 66a traverse one of the inner edges of the channel 12.

The sideplates 59 and 59a and all the parts connected thereto are indirectly supported by the large eyelets 63 and 63a, FIG. 5, the latter of which may also be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. Sideplate 59a is secured to plate 60a by the spacer 88 and by the shaft on which lever 23 is pivoted. The entire pleater bar assembly 160 is counterbalanced by a weight in the tube 72 which is secured to channel 11. This weight is attached to the cable 68 which traverses the pulley 74 rotatably mounted at the top of channel 11, the other end of this cable 68 being secured to the ring 63.

On the opposite side of the vertically movable pleater bar assembly 160, the cable 28, FIGS. 1 and 5, is connected to the ring 63a which is rigidly attached to the plate 59a, and the other end of this cable, after passing over pulleys 75 and 74, is likewise connected to the counterweight in the tube 72.

The draperies that are to be pleated or stretched must be hung, in a manner hereinafter to be described, from the horizontal hanger bar 86 which is vertically movable against the weight of the bar and the draperies in response to the clockwise rotation of the crank 25 attached to the winch 24.

A ratchet wheel 27, rigidly and concentrically secured to the winch 24, is releasably held in any adjusted position by means of the pawl 43, (FIGS. 5 and 6) which is pivotally carried on the bracket 45 secured to the upright channel 12. One end of the extension spring 46 is attached to the pawl and the other end of this spring is attached to a pivoted lever 26 whereby this spring may be moved over the pivoting point of the pawl to give it a toggle action in a manner well-known in the mechanical arts and therefore not further described here. The groaved wheels 64 and 66 Which are rotatably mounted within the U-shaped brackets 65 and 49 traverse one edge of the channel 11 while the corresponding grooved wheels on the opposite side of the vertically movable assembly traverse the corresponding edge of channel 12.

Inasmuch as the axis of the winch is fixed with respect to the channel 12, the right-hand rotation of crank 25 attached to the winch will reel up the cable and raise the hanger bar 86. The cable 85 passes over frame-supported pulleys, not shown, for lifting the hanger bar 86.

The hanger bar 86 is shown in enlarged view, FIGS. 10-12, and as shown may be an extruded member 114 with a front track member 116 upon which the drapery hook carriage 118 is mounted for lateral or horizontal movement upon the hook or hanger bar 86. The hook carriage 118 is provided with a wheel 120 which may be journalled on the opposite end of the hook wire 122, as best shown in FIG. 11. The hook 110 is connected to the carriage member 118 by fastening the hook wire end 122 through an aperture 124 and is also connected or fastened to the carriage by a crimped portion 126 of the carriage. This firm engagement of the hook to the carriage at two locations, i.e., at 126 and 124, provides a firm support for the hook so that the drapes can be removed from the hooks all at once by merely grasping the upper end of the drapery and pulling upwardly. Were the hook 110 not secured to the carriage in two locations, the hook would tend to break away from the carriage. Thus, the crimped connection 126 prevents the hook 110 from pulling or moving outwardly from the carriage 118 when the drapery is removed from the hook bar 86.

The carriage members 118 are slideable on the track 116 of the hook bar 86 and binding of the carriage as it slides a along the track is prevented at the bottom end of the carriage by rounding at 128 the lower fold or loop 117 which wraps around the lower surface 130 of the track 116. Adjacent hook carriages 118 are connected together with a flexible means such as a chain 132 which permits close spacing of adjacent carriages not in use as shown in FIG. 10 and a predetermined spacing when it is desired to move the carriages apart to conform to the spacing of the drapery pleats.

The pleater blades 21 and 22 of the pleater bars 18 and 19 are preferably of the configuration shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. For example, the blade 22 on the back pleater bar 19 may have a rounded enlargement or top 133 on its outer end which is designed to prevent the drapery from catching on the ends or corners of the projecting blades as the drapery folds are placed in between the blades 22. In order to facilitate clamping of the drapery between the pleating blades when the pleating blades 22 of the member 19 are moved laterally relative to the pleater blades 21 in order to clamp the lower end of the drapery for stretching purposes, frictional pads 112 are provided on facing sides of the blades 21 and 22 to facilitate clamping of the drapery fold. The thickness of the two pads 112 on facing surfaces of interdigitated blades 121 and 122 as shown in FIG. 13 is approximately equal to the crosssectional thickness of the blade tip 133.

Before the drapery is attached to the hanger bar 86, it is first folded longitudinally a sufiicient distance downward from the top end to permit individual folds to be fastened to sharp books 110 that are slidably mounted on the hanger bar 86, as shown in FIGS. 10-12. The hanger bar should then be adjusted vertically to a convenient height for fastening the drapery. The weight of the bar itself, plus that of the drapery, is sutficient to lower the bar whenever the pawl 43 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel holds the hanger bar in whatever position it may have been placed by the turning of the crank 25.

The rear portion of each individual fold should then be fastened to one of the drapery hooks 110 on the bar while the pivoted pleater bar 18 is in an inoperative or rest position (broken line position of FIG. 3) above the hanger bar. The drapes will then hang down in front of the forwardly projecting pleater blades 22. While they are thus hanging, the folds should be individually placed between adjoining blades. The pleater bar 18 should next be swung down so that its pleating blades 21 will each be disposed on one side of a fold while the other sides of these particular folds are resting against the blades 22. The interleaved or interdigitated pleater bar assembly may then be lowered slowly to permit them to comb out, straighten and pleat the drapery all the way to its lower end. The pleater bar assembly may be freely moved up and down the channels 11 and 12 to effect pleating of the drapery. The ease of movement of the relatively heavy pleater bar assembly is facilitated by the counterweight suspension of the pleater bar assembly with cables 28 in the guide tube 72. The pleated drapery may then be secured by means of bands 164 placed at various intervals along the length of the drapery.

In order to stretch a drapery and to remove wrinkles therefrom, it is necessary to clamp the folds at the bottoms of the drapery between the pleating blades of pleater bars 18 and 19, by moving rear pleater bar 19 laterally with respect to front pleater bar 18 so that the blades 22 move towards their respective adjacent blades 21 to clamp drapery folds therebetween. This clamping is effected by moving the lever 55 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. Lever 55 is rigidly mounted on shaft 56, and the bell crank 30 is secured to the shafts other end, as shown in both FIGS. and 6. The outer end of the bell crank is pivoted to link 29, and the opposite end of link 29 is pivotally fastened to bracket 32 whose hub 33 is pinned, as by a cotter pin 89, to the rod 37. This rod is slidably mounted in the end members 90 and 91 of the U-shaped bracket 34 which is secured, as by welding, to the rear surface of the square tube 50 which carries the pleating bar 19. A compression spring 36 surrounds the portion of rod 39 that extends beyond the upright end 91 of the U-bracket. A washer 42 is mounted on rod 39 adjacent to the spring 36. Both ends of rod 37 are threaded. Nut 38 is threadedly secured to the end of rod 37 that extends beyond bracket 90, and nut 40 is threaded to the opposite end of the rod and tightened against the washer 42. A second compression spring 35 is mounted on rod 37 between bracket 32 and the upturned end 90 of the U-shaped bracket 34. It will be observed that the effective length of these springs and their tension are determined by the positions of the nuts 38 and 40 on the threaded ends of the rod. Springs 35 and 36 control the clamping or locking tension on the drapery. Due to this spring arrangement the clamping tension will be constant irrespective of the thickness of the drapery material. The tension on the springs can be adjusted by tightening nut 40.

When lever 55 is moved toward a vertical position parallel to end plate 59a, link 29 will pull hub 33 of bracket 32 against the upturned end 91 of bracket 34 and move the pleating bar 19 toward the operating lever. If the operating lever is moved angularly in the opposite direction, link 29 will move rod 37 toward the end plate 59, causing the washer 42 to compress spring 36 and also causing bracket 32 to compress spring 35. The movement of the pleating bar 19 toward the end plate 5'9 is thus effected by the pressure of the two compression springs. Inasmuch as the pleating bar 18 and its blades 21 are laterally fixed in position, the springs 35 and 36 act as keeper springs to hold the pleating blades 22 at their maximum distance from the particular pleating blades 21 with which they cooperate. When the pleating bar is moved toward plate 59a, the various drapery folds that are resting against the left sides of the pleating blades 21, as viewed in FIG. 5, will be engaged on their opposite sides by the pleating blades 22, which, upon the further lateral movement of the pleating bar 19 toward plate 59a, will clamp the pleats firmly in position. The friction pads 112 which may be mounted on the pleater blades 21 and 22 to assist in se- 6 curely engaging the lower ends of the drapery pleats, also provide compensating thickness for the enlarged tip ends 133 (FIGS. 13 and 14).

The entire pleater bar assembly may be locked at any desired elevation by means of lever 23, FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, which actuates two brakes that arrest the vertical movement of the narrow U-shaped channels 69 and 69a, FIGS. 5 and 6, that respectively straddle the rear side members 92 and 92a, FIG. 5, of the upright side channels 11 and 12. The brake on the right side comprises a brake shoe 93a, FIG. 8, to which is attached a frictional lining 79a that grips the outer surface of the side member 92a of channel 12, whenever pressure is applied to the shoe. Pressure is applied to the brake shoe through the compression springs 94 and 95 upon movement of the cam follower plate 70a toward the brake shoe whenever the cam 53a is in a horizontal position, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8.

The cam follower 70a is provided near its opposite ends with apertures that slidably receive the guide pins 77 and 78. The cams 53 and 53a are the opposite semi-cylindrical ends of the brake shaft 52 that is housed within the tube 51, FIGS. 1 and 6, which is welded or otherwise appropriately secured to the opposite end plates 59 and 59a.

The brake shaft 52 may be turned through the full angle within which the semi-cylindrical cams move from the position in which they apply no pressure whatever to the cam-actuated clamping plates to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 in which maximum pressure is applied. Lever 23 applies this pressure by means of the compound lever system shown in the broken away portions of FIG. 7. It will be seen here that lever 23 is pivoted on a short shaft 96 extending through the lever 23 and through its hubs 54 which are best seen in FIG. 5. The link 57 which is pivoted to lever 23 intermediate its ends applies an amplified force to the outer end of the arm or pin 58 to which it is pivoted, this arm being integrally attached to the cam shaft 52.

Bracket 103, FIG. 8, is secured to end wall 104 of channel 60a, FIG. 6, and bracket 103a is secured to end wall 104a of this channel. Spring 102, which surrounds pin 78, expands between bracket 103 and the cam follower plate 70a, and spring 102a, which surrounds pin 77, expands between bracket 103a and the cam follower plate. This expansion moves the plate toward the right (when these parts are oriented as shown in FIG. 8) and the consequent release of pressure from springs 94 and removes the tension from pressure plate 93a and the friction material attached thereto, and the vertically movable pleater bar assembly 160 is then free to move up and down the side channels 11 and 12.

When the vertically movable pleating assembly 160 is locked to channels 11 and 12 at the desired position, the drapery whose folds have been locked between the pleating blades of the two pleater bars 18 and 19 may be stretched, as hereinbefore set forth, by raising the hanger bar 86 by means of the winch 24. The hanger bar is held at its adjusted elevation by the pawl 43 which immoblizes the ratchet wheel 27 attached to the winch.

In operating the pleater it often happens that the dreperies are lowered sufficiently for their bottom edges to touch the floor unless a basket of some sort is provided to prevent it. The hammock-like basket 97 serves this purpose. One edge of the fabric forming the basket is held between the cleats 100 and 101 whose ends are mounted on the diagonals 15 and 15a, FIGS. 1 and 2. The opposite edge of the fabric is wound around the rod 99 and attached thereto. The rod 99 is supported by a pair of brackets 98, one of which is shown attached to the rear diagonal 16, FIG. 2. It will of course be understood that a companion bracket 98 is provided on the other side of the pedestal structure. The hammock-like basket 97 hangs down between the diagonals, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 15-17 show a modification of the present apparatus to permit the operator to release the hanger bar by merely depressing the foot pedals 136 which are connected to linkage 138 and chain 140 to a winch locking mechanism 141. The winch locking mechanism is shown in locked position in FIG. 16 with spring 170 pulling lever 142 upwardly to force the brake band 144 inwardly and around brake drum 148 to tightly wrap the brake band 146 around the brake drum 148 to prevent movement of the drum 148 and the winch 150' to which it is connected through engagement of the brake gear teeth 154 with the gear teeth 152. When the lever 142 is pulled downwardly by depressing the foot pedal 136 to move linkage 156 downwardly as shown in FIG. 17, the brake band 146 releases the brake drum 148 and permits the brake gear 154 to turn with the winch gear 152. The winch handle is connected to the brake gear through shaft 155 which is keyed to the drum. Hence, the hanger bar 86 can be readily lowered for loading (or unloading) the drapery thereon by merely depressing the foot pedal 136 until the hook bar drops to the desired height. When the foot pedal is released, the spring 170 pulls lever 142 upwardly to again engage the brake drum 148 and thereby lock the winch 150. Hence, the hanger bar 86 is normally in locked position. When the foot pedal 136 is depressed it is unlocked and it may be moved freely up and down on the channels 11 and 12.

I Wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for pleating and stretching a drapery, comprising, in combination:

(a) a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart rigid members,

(b) a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along said rigid members, said bar having means for hanging a drapery therefrom,

(c) a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extending horizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar,

(d) said assembly including a first pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom into the space traversed by said drapery hung from said hanger bar, and a second pleater bar having projecting blades movable with said second pleater bar into interdigitating relationship with said projecting blades of said first pleater bar, and

(e) means for moving one of said pleater bars laterally relative to the other pleater bar to move the blades of said laterally moved pleater bar towards said interdigitated blades of said other pleater bar to clamp the lower end of said drapery so that said drapery may be stretched between said hanger bar and said pleater bar assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pleater bar assembly includes a support frame engageable with said upwardly extending members and having a horizontal member extending between said upwardly extending members and upon which said first pleater bar is slideable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said moving means includes an overcenter linkage mechanism with spring tension limiting means for said moving means.

4. The appasatus of claim 1 including carriages and a horizontal track on said hanger bar, and wherein said means for hanging a drpeary comprise a plurality of outwardly and upwardly projecting pointed hooks each doubly fastened to one of said carriages and wherein said carriages are slideably mounted on said track.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the opposite end of said hook extends through an aperture in said carriage and provides a journal for a wheel rollable on said track, said carriage having a crimped portion below said aperture encompassing said hook between said outward projection and said journalled portion to prevent outward movement of said book as said drapery is removed therefrom.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said carriage has a return portion for engaging the lower edge of said track and said return portion is rounded outwardly to prevent binding said carriage to said track as said carriage is moved horizontally along said track.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said carriages are interconnected by flexible means for limiting the distance between said carriages along said track.

8. Apparatus for pleating draperies comprising in combination:

(a) a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart rigid members,

(b) a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along said rigid members, said bar having means for hanging a drapery therefrom,

(c) a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extending horizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar,

(d) said assembly including first pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom into the space traversed by said drapery hung rom said hanger bar, and a second pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom, and means for positioning said second pleater bar with its projecting blades interdigitating with said projecting blades of said first pleater bar,

(e) means for suspending said pleater bar assembly in vertically movable relationship between said rigid members with a counterweight mechanism to counterbalance the weight of said pleater bar assembly and facilitate manual vertical movement thereof along said rigid members to a position adjacent the lower end of said drapery, and

(f) means for moving one of said pleater bars laterally relative to the other pleater bar to move the blades of said laterally moved pleater bar towards said interdigitated blades of said other pleater bar to clamp the lower end of said drapery so that said drapery may be stretched between said hanger bar and said pleater bar assembly.

9. Apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies comprising in combination;

(a) a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart rigid members,

(b) a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along said rigid members, said bar having means for hanging drapery therefrom,

(c) a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extending horizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar,

(d) said assembly including a first pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom into the space traversed by said drapery hung from said hanger bar, and a second pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom, and means for positioning said second pleater bar with its projecting blades interdigitating with said projecting blades of said first pleater bar,

(e) releasable means for locking said pleater bar assembly to said rigid members to prevent vertical movement of said assembly on said rigid thereby permitting locking of said pleater bar assembly at preselected positions along said rigid members below said hanger bar to position said assembly adjacent the lower end of said drapery, and

(f) said pleater bar assembly including means for clampingly engaging said drapery near the lower end thereof to permit stretching said drapery between said hanger bar and said pleater bar assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said locking means includes a brake shoe engageable with one of said rigid members, a cam follower actuatable to move said brake shoe into locking position against said rigid member, and a cam adapted to actuate said cam follower, said cam being adapted for manual operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 including spring means for moving said cam follower out of locking engagement with said rigid member when said cam is moved out of locking position.

12. Apparatus for pleating draperies comprising in combination:

(a) a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart rigid members,

(b) a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along said rigid members, said bar having means for hanging drapery therefrom,

(c) a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extending horizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar,

((1) said assembly including a first pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom into the space traversed by said drapery hung from said hanger bar, and a second pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom, and means for positioning said second pleater bar with its projecting blades interdigitating with said projecting blades of said first pleater bar, and

(e) winch means for raising said hanger bar along said rigid members,

(f) winch braking means for stopping said hanger bar in a vertical position along said rigid members, and

(g) means for releasing said braking means to permit said hanger bar to drop vertically along said rigid members.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said braking means includes a brake drum and gear means for interconnecting said brake drum with said winch means, and including a brake band operatively engageable with said drum, and a lever linkage device for releasing said brake band from said drum.

14. A horizontally disposed drapery hanger apparatus for use with drapery pleating and stretching apparatus, comprising in combination:

a horizontal track,

a plurality of carriages horizontally movable along said track,

a hook member attached to each of said carriages, said hook member including an outwardly and upwardly projecting pointed end for receiving drapery pleats, each of said carriages including a crimped portion for fastening said hook member thereto to prevent outward movement of said hook member from said carriage as said drapery is removed from said pointed end hook member, and said carriage having a return portion extending under said track, said return portion being curved away from the edge of said track to prevent binding as said carriage is moved horizontally along said track.

15. A pleater bar assembly for use with drapery pleating and stretching apparatus, comprising:

a first pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom;

a second pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades extending therefrom;

means for positioning said second pleater bar with its projecting blades interdigitating with said projecting blades of said first pleater bar, and

means for moving one of said pleater bars laterally relative to the other pleater bar to move the blades of said laterally moved pleater bar towards said interdigitated blades of said other pleater bar to clampingly engage folds of a drapery extending therethrough, and means for locking said laterally moved pleater bar in said clamping engagement.

16. A horizontal hanger bar for vertically supporting a drapery proximate the upper end thereof comprising:

a horizontal track,

a plurality of carriages horizontally slidable along said track,

a plurality of outwardly and upwardly projecting pointed end hooks each fastened to one of said carriages and arranged to support said drapery vertically therefrom when said drapery is engaged on said hooks, and

means for connecting said carriages to adjacent carriages on said track to space same horizontally along said track.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for hanging a drapery from said horizontal bar comprise a plurality of outwardly and upwardly projecting pointed end hooks which are operatively connected to said hanger bar.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said interdigitating blades have frictional engagement means thereon adapted to firmly hold said lower end of said'drapery as said pleater bar is laterally moved into clamping position adjacent said other pleater bar.

19. Apparatus for pleating and stretching a drapery, comprising, in combination:

(a) a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart rigid members,

(b) a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along said rigid members, said bar having means for hang ing a drapery therefrom,

(c) a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extending horizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar,

(d) said assembly including a first pleater bar with projecting comb-like blades aifixed thereto and extending therefrom into the space traversed by said drapery hung from said hanger bar, and a second pleater bar having projecting blades aflixed thereto and movable with said second pleater bar into interdigitatin g relationship with said projecting blades of said first pleater bar, and

(e) means for moving one of said pleater bars laterally towards the other pleater bar and locking said laterally moved pleater bar to clamp the lower end of said drapery between said interdigitated blades so that said drapery may be stretched between said hanger bar and said pleater bar assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,424,356 1/1969 Getchell et a1. 22332 2,699,010 1/1955 Reed 22328 X 2,837,257 6/1958 Gibson et al. 223-30 2,954,907 10/1960 Bird 22332 X 3,147,895 9/1964 Boyes 22351 3,279,661 10/1966 Kirche 22332 3,315,852 4/1967 Getchell et a1 223-32 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

